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Posts Tagged ‘Educational’

Haven’t done a documentary in a little while here, so let’s watch this one. This Ken Burns movie is the tale of the first cross country automobile journey undertaken by a rich Vermont Doctor. In one way, you might like the character of Horatio Nelson Jackson, in another way you might despise him and everything he purports to stand for. Strangely, this is also a movie where only men are interviewed save for two of Nelson’s granddaughters. So it’s guys, talking about a long car ride undertaken by a couple of guys. In a way, we could say that these are rich yuppies who have an adventure talking about another rich yuppie who once had an adventure. The story is pretty good, but there are drawbacks. Is it good or bad? Let’s have a look…

I’ve been holding back on this one for years, and I was wondering whether or not I should do it this year. After all, when you take into account how much I’m posting for The Greats and reposting some specials on new blogs and writing a couple of new reviews… I could have waited. This is going to be a very full November for us. I could set the two new reviews off and wait until next year, but then what fun would that be? Besides, I’ve had a bad time this year, and last year, and 2008 wasn’t so hot either if you want the truth. So I decided to calm my nerves by watching something that would send me into a nice relaxing screaming fit. I’m going to also throw every ounce of honest truth at this thing. I’m warning you now, don’t read this thing if you want to keep your stupid, factually deficient lies about the so called pilgrims. I intend to shine the light down on this thing and watch it run like a pack of roaches.

Donald in Mathmagic Land (1959 Buena Vista Film Dir. Hamilton Luske*)*Luske was the supervising director, with three other’s listed as Sequence Directors.

Like a lot of Walt’s extended short subjects, this half hour production was actually given a theatrical release. Shown with Darby O’Gill and the Little People of all things, this movie interestingly offsets that one. I’m not sure why math and insulting the Irish with stereotypes was thought to have synergy, but there it is. The chief problem is that I’m not sure how educational this movie actually is in the format of a theatrical release. It isn’t that this is a bad movie or anything, it just seems like it’s more to stir your mind rather than actually teach you anything. I can understand it being a film shown in schools, because it seems like your teacher should come out and start talking as soon as it ends. It feels like a discussion tool rather than a piece of general admission entertainment.